1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stacking apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatuses are known that convey and stack sheets for circuit board required to be handled with care because of their characteristics of vulnerability, flexibility, and ignitability, for example. A technique has been disclosed in which a prepreg material is used for sheets for circuit board, for example. An apparatus is known that can mark a boundary between the stacks each of a certain number of prepreg sheets, by changing a stacking position of the prepreg sheets for every certain number of prepreg sheets.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-241013 discloses a technique in which prepreg sheets are gripped with clamps and moved on a stacking table and thereafter the clamps are released. According to this publication, the boundary between stacks each of the certain number of prepreg sheets can be marked by changing a position where the clamps are released. Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication discloses a technique in which a position of a guide member provided on a stacking table is moved every time the certain number of prepreg sheets are stacked. Still further, as a method for marking a boundary between the stacks each of the certain number of sheets for circuit board, another technique is known in which a separation member is placed as a boundary.
The conventional techniques, however, cause the sheets for circuit board to be scratched or deformed by unnecessary force applied thereto in a process to mark a boundary between the stacks each of the certain number of sheets for circuit board in some cases. It is, thus, conventionally difficult to make it possible to mark a boundary between the stacks each of the certain number of sheets for circuit board without scratching and deforming the sheets.